Mili (1975)

Director:

Hrishikesh Mukherjee

Writers:

Bimal Dutta (screenplay)
Bimal Dutta (story)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | Family | Musical

Plot:

Shekhar Dayal has moved into a new neighborhood, and is just not pleased with the new surroundings. He resents the noise children make while playing...

Plot Keywords:

Joy Of Life | Hope | Stars | Childhood Trauma | Telescope

Cast

Ashok Kumar	...	Mr. Khanna
Amitabh Bachchan	...	Shekhar Dayal
Usha Kiran	...	Sharda Khanna
Shubha Khote	...	Neighbour
Suresh Chatwal	...	Ranjeet Khanna
Asrani	...	Drunk (Guest Appearance)
Aruna Irani	...	Runa Singh
Rajnath
Naina Apte
Aarti
Shahana
Chandra
Arabind
Nandita Aras
Jaya Bhaduri	...	Mili Khanna

Country:

India

Language:

Hindi

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Mohan Studios, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Trivia:

Mili was the last film composed by Sachin Dev Burman, before he went into a near year long coma preceding his death. His last composed song was 'Badi sooni sooni hai', sung by Kishore Kumar

Movie Connections:

References Bobby (1973)

Soundtrack:

Aaye Tum Yaad Mujhe

Live life to the fullest, leave with a smile!

This extraordinary, heart-warming/breaking film is about a young vibrant girl named Mili. Mili is a very bubbly, vivacious, outgoing girl and a very big prankster as well. She spreads happiness with her positive attitude and is popular with everyone, from her own family to the entire neighbourhood, but the one whose life she particularly manages to light is a new neighbour named Shekhar. Shekhar is an alcoholic and lonely young man who's been a victim of society, and gradually he develops a great friendship with Mili. She makes him look at life differently, and the two fall in love. But he does not know that Mili is terminally ill and her days are counted.

A poignant and brilliantly told story, Mili can be easily ranked among the greatest realistic tearjerkers of its times. Mukherjee's direction is splendid. He manages to make this picture totally convincing and memorable in his own inimitable way. The film is not a tragedy, it is a very melancholic, yet very bright, pleasant and thoroughly optimistic piece. No filmmaker would have been able to make this film as beautifully as Mukherjee did. The narrative style is very identified with his craft and unique storytelling - like in most of his films, the script, involving common and ordinary people and following their lives during certain periods, is amazingly simple and realistic, yet the emotional impact is powerful and very effective.

Mili belongs to Jaya Bhaduri. A naturally gifted actress, she is compelling, funny and moving throughout the entire film and makes her character Mili hauntingly admirable, lovable and memorable. Amitabh Bachchan is brilliant as Shekhar. He is restrained, natural and good-looking. Ashok Kumar is unsurprisingly outstanding as Mili's loving, helpless and suffering father. Aruna Irani makes an impact in a smaller role. The film is not too long, it does not go over the top and the emotions are never overblown. It is simple, interesting, engaging and very moving. It is filled with gentle comedy, superb music and many great moments, and was evidently made with a lot of graciousness and sincerity. That's what makes a classic.